The Institute for Creative Health
The Institute for Creative Health is an independent non-profit Australian organisation with the mission to prove that the arts, in all its guises, are essential to the health and well being of individuals and communities.
We want to inspire people to put our ideas into practice.
Governments urged to support National Framework 7th April 2013
Federal and State Governments today were urged to support and adopt a national arts and health policy by giving priority to advancing a draft framework through the political process.
The challenge was issued by Mr Michael Brogan, Chairman of The Institute for Creative Health – the national body leading the arts and health policy agenda and which until today has been known as the Arts and Health Foundation (AHF).
The Institute for Creative Health continues the vital work commenced in 2006 by AHF. It will act as an advocate for the arts and health sector on important arts and health issues. It will also facilitate research, sponsor arts health projects and share information within the arts and health community so that there is an informed and unified presence. The Institute’s new brand identity was launched today at the National Rural Health Alliance’s conference in Adelaide.
The rapid adoption of a national policy framework would enable arts and health practice and research in Australian hospitals and clinics to flourish for the benefit of many thousands of patients.
Mr Brogan said: “Considerable progress has been made at national and state level during the past year to develop a draft policy framework for arts and health. There is an imperative now, however, to maintain that momentum in the face of shifting government policy initiatives and the upcoming Federal Election.
“We are not asking governments for money to fund this very important work, even though we know that health budgets will significantly benefit by introducing evidence-based arts projects throughout the health sector. We simply want formal recognition that the arts in its many forms stimulate a broad range of positive health outcomes – for the young, the old and for the not so young and old. Until now, we have been greatly encouraged by government responses, but we need to ensure that this opportunity does not slip away.
“Once official recognition is given to a national policy framework, practitioners would be better placed to receive the support they desperately need from private funding bodies. The Institute is here to stimulate that process and to prove the value of new arts-based treatments.”
Considerable progress towards adopting a national policy framework has already been made. AHF convened a national arts and health policy forum in June 2012 at Parliament House in Canberra, and won support from the Federal Minister for Health, the Hon. Tanya Plibersek MP. Backing also came from the former Federal Minister for the Arts, the Hon. Simon Crean MP.
A draft framework was released last year, and AHF subsequently co-ordinated feedback to governments. Last month, the National Cultural Policy was released and included a commitment for the Federal Government to work with their state and territory counterparts to recognise the health benefits of arts and culture and to provide an agenda for activity.
The Institute in recent weeks has held a number of direct meetings with Federal and State parliamentarians to win their support for the policy agenda. This advocacy will continue in coming months.
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